|
A well-qualified fundraising company can help cultivate major donors who can make a substantial impact. By targeting wealthy donors, nonprofits can secure single donations of vast amounts. Donors of this magnitude can also act as advocates for a nonprofit and help it gain greater visibility with other wealthy contributors. But how does a fundraising company motivate wealthy donors to commit such resources? First, you need to understand these donors and what motivates them. Then you need to adapt your messages accordingly. Only by getting to know today’s wealthy donors can you set your nonprofit apart, and become the charity of choice for a targeted segment within this group. In the nonprofit world, major donors tend to have these similar characteristics: • A lack of trust – A fundraising company often finds wealthy donors more guarded. As a result, major donors place a premium on personal relationships. They’ll value these relationships and might even consider them more important than the impact the nonprofit has on its cause! Therefore, building relationships needs to be a priority. Campaigns and communications must focus on getting to know the prospective donor and helping them trust you. • A baby-boomer – Over their lifetimes, this generation has made the world take notice for a number of reasons. Now, many in this age group are wealthy and generous – a very appealing combination for a fundraising company. And at this stage in their lives, boomers are volunteering, involved and pursuing their interests. If you connect on a level that’s meaningful to them, you’ll have a good chance of building a long-term donor relationship. • An older woman – Studies have found woman far surpass men in generosity, even by twice as much. A fundraising company should carefully evaluate prospective donor lists to ensure this demographic is adequately targeted. Multichannel campaigns directed at this group will produce good results. • More interested in what they think – Major donors really don’t want to hear a fundraising company drone on about the nonprofit. They much rather shift the conversation to something they can identify with, so center your communications on how the nonprofit relates to them. • Use social media – This channel offers a great opportunity to get to know major donors personally. Since major donors are using social media quite a bit, you need to be there too. • View donations as investments – Major donors want to know their money is going to good use and is providing a return. They want to see results and the impact of their donation. One way to do this is for a fundraising company to have the donation fund something specific. It’s easier to measure the results of a particular project. Along the same lines, wealthy donors like to see the numbers. When you show them your financials, they can see how money is being spent. They will appreciate the transparency and your trust factor will increase. • Inundated and busy – This describes almost everyone, not just major donors! A fundraising company needs to be considerate of people’s time. With inboxes spilling over with boring clutter, you have an opportunity to rise above it with something creative, unusual and fun. A fundraising company has tons of competition for wealthy donors. Lots of worthy causes are vying for major gifts. The ones who capture attention and see a boost in donations will fully understand this segment of the donor population. And, they’ll carefully develop strategies and campaigns that focus on what’s really important to major donors. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Edward Phillips, MBA, is chief creative officer of IPM Advancement, a leading nonprofit fundraising company. Visit us at http://www.ipmadvancement.com or call 623-687-3908 for more information about a Nonprofit Fundraising Company.
Related Articles -
Nonprofit Fundraising Company, IPM Advancement,
| 
